One of the first things you'll usually hear before you start a career in the arts is that you have to develop a thick skin. And while a big part of that advice refers to developing a high tolerance for critique and rejection, there's another element we don't talk...
TL;DR: The writing gamification site 4TheWords has released a new desktop app that lets you take advantage of all site features without actually having to write directly onsite. Battle monsters and complete quests while writing directly in Scrivener, Word, Obsidian,...
When you've poured your heart and soul into a writing project over months to years, it hurts to hear someone speak negatively about it. That's just human nature. You can't please everyone. In fact, the surest way to fail at any kind of creative work is to try. Even...
![Save the Book: A Novel Approach to Writing Cinematically [Zoom Workshop] at RWO on October 13 @ 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm](https://i0.wp.com/www.hillarydepiano.com/pages/wp-content/uploads/Save-the-Book-3.png?resize=1080%2C1350&ssl=1)
Hey, so I goofed... Goof #1 is that I accidentally posted an older version of this post that said the event was on October 10th even though we moved it to the 13th earlier in the year. The details below are correct. Goof #2 is that I knew RWO was no longer accepting...
Some quick business before we begin: If you're local, I'm doing an intro to writing talk at the Parsippany Library this Saturday, September 26 at 1 pm. It's free of charge, but you do need to register ahead of time to reserve your place here. Speaking of local events,...
...and a special subscriber's only look at behind the scenes of this project! Wondering why some of the plays in this series were traditionally published and others went the indie route? See below! Anyone remember those old Toys R Us commercials where Jeffery would...
Highlights in a hurry new free Chrome extension for the popular gamified writing site 4TheWords counts your writing on (nearly) any website extension promises total privacy: only counts the number of words and never the actual content take advantage of the writing RPG...
![Unlock the Power of Action and Reaction (Understanding Scene and Sequel): Aug 3- Aug 14, 2026 [Forum Workshop]](https://i0.wp.com/www.hillarydepiano.com/pages/wp-content/uploads/Scene-and-Sequel-1.png?resize=1080%2C1350&ssl=1)
Unlock the Power of Action and Reaction Aug 3- Aug 14, 2026 Hearts Through History [Forum Workshop] Beginner writers all suffer the same challenges: passive characters, uneven pacing, meandering plot and the dreaded “Happy People in Happyland.” Readers crave active...
My extreme apologies, the Jetpack app apparently just completely bugged out and starting emailing out posts from years ago. I have shut it off for now until I can figure out what the problem is so we can make sure THAT never happens again! Edited to add: A little more...
Hey all, popping in with some super quick programming notes and updates... The Master Class writing workshop I was meant to be teaching at WriterUniv starting on June 15th has been cancelled. A bummer, but I think ultimately for the best because a) I severely injured...
Hillary DePiano is a playwright, fiction and non-fiction writer who loves writing of all kinds except for writing bios like this.
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hillary@hillarydepiano.com
